Pearls of Snow
by tuppence a bag
Summary: AU. The king's death leaves the selfish crown prince as ruler of Arendelle. Elsa accidentally reveals her powers, fleeing the palace with the queen and Anna to avoid a death sentence. Living as peasants, Anna finds what she thinks is love, while Elsa wonders if people are right to call her "witch" and want her dead. Kristanna, Elsa/OC. Somewhat inspired by Sense and Sensibility.
1. Ice Death

******Am I the only one who's noticed how similar Elsa and Anna are to Elinor and Marianne Dashwood? Elsa and Elinor are both reserved and keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves, whereas Anna and Marianne are both outgoing and very expressive of their feelings—and each fall for the wrong guy before eventually ending up with the one they initially disliked. Even the sisters' names are similar. _El_sa. _El_inor. _Ann_a. Mari_ann_e. ****Anyway, this fic was heavily inspired by that train of thought. The overarching plot of this story is its own, with Elsa being hunted for witchcraft and all that lovely stuff, but it will definitely borrow elements from S&S.**

* * *

_~ "Your power will only grow.  
There is beauty in it,  
but also great danger." ~_

The king of Arendelle lay dying.

No one in the kingdom was quite sure of the reason. He did not have any sickness the royal physician could diagnose. His skin was cold as ice, and the hands of his family members were left bright red if they held his hand for too long. All but those of his eldest daughter, who wore a pair of gloves for every minute of every day of her life. She was at her father's side constantly, holding his hand, her blue eyes always filled with tears. Yet she never shed them. She felt she did not deserve to. As she saw it, this was her fault.

When the queen and Elsa's younger sister, Princess Anna, left the room for a moment, Elsa swallowed and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Father."

"It's not your fault, Elsa. You were only trying to help."

And she had been.

She hadn't meant to strike his heart with her ice last week. She had been trying to save his life. His horse had thrown him, and Elsa saw him go flying.

"Father!" she'd cried.

And she had sent the burst of snow to break his fall. She should have known it was a foolish thing to do—had she learned _nothing_ from the incident with her younger sister all those years ago? The troll _had _said that night that he could not have helped Anna if her heart had been struck, and Elsa knew very well that the statement applied to anyone whose heart had been frozen.

But fear for her father's life had gotten the better of her. She had saved him in that particular moment, but in doing so condemned him to a fate far worse. His death would take a while—the queen kept the fire in the bedchamber hearth blazing at all times to keep the frost at bay—but it would come. In all its freezing agony, it would come.

"I'm so sorry," Elsa said again.

The queen entered the room again. "Josef has returned," she said. "He tells me he stopped his travels and started for home the moment he heard." Josef, eldest of the royal children, was the crown prince.

"Tell him to come in," said the king. "I need to speak with him alone."

Elsa swallowed. "Alone?"

"It's only for a few moments, Elsa."

She nodded. "All right." But she looked pained to leave.

The queen bade Josef to come in, and she took Elsa's hand and gently led her from the room, closing the door behind her.

Josef sat in the chair Elsa had just been in. "Don't worry, Father. You will be well soon enough, and—"

The king shook his head and looked his son directly in the eyes. "Denying the truth is pointless. I am going to die, and your mother has made it clear that she does not wish to rule alone. She has decided to step down after I am gone, and you will have to assume the throne. I expect you to think of your subjects and make decisions with their best interests in mind."

Josef had the sense to nod. "Of course, Father."

"I also expect you to listen to any advice your mother and sisters give you. You have been travelling with your wife for years while I have been well and ruling, but your mother and sisters have remained here, and they will know things about Arendelle and its alliances that you might not."

"I will listen to them, I promise."

"And finally, take good care for your mother for me, and both of your sisters—particularly Elsa. Be gentle with her, especially if she reveals ..." The king trailed off.

Josef frowned. "Reveals what?"

The king merely said, "You will understand what I mean if she reveals it to you. Until then, her secrets are hers to keep."

Josef nodded again. "All right."

The king coughed suddenly. "Go. Send Elsa and your mother in, but not Anna. She doesn't know. Wait outside with her—"

"Why? What's happening?"

"Do as I say." The king did not raise his voice, but his tone was commanding nonetheless.

Josef stood and walked to the door, pulling it open and exchanging a few words with the Elsa and the queen that were inaudible to the king. Then Elsa and her mother both pushed past him; Elsa stopping to shut the door and then sprinting to her father's left side. The queen rushed to his right, weeping and taking his hand. Through her tears, she told him she loved him, and he said the same to her. Then he turned to Elsa. The skin on his fingertips was turning to ice, which spread up his wrist.

Elsa clutched his icy hand and sobbed for the first time since she was very young. She did not manage words until the ice had spread up to his neck, and then her words were what a child might say. "Don't leave me, Papa. Please."

Though she could tell it pained him, he managed a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, Elsa."

And the king of Arendelle died, frozen solid with a smile on his face.

* * *

**I guess this is more of a prologue than a chapter, considering how short it is. xP I hope you can forgive me. ****Should I continue? Do let me know in a review.**


	2. Building a Snowman

**Many thanks to those of you who've reviewed and favorited and followed.**

* * *

_~ "Do you want to build a snowman?" ~_

Very few people were allowed to see the body, but the rumors spread anyway. According to Kai and Gerda, murmurings of witchcraft filled the village. People glanced at strangers with fear and suspicion. "It could be anyone," Gerda told Anna. "The question on everyone's mind is, 'Who might they kill next?'"

Elsa shut herself up in her room for the rest of the day after her father died. At her mother's pleading, she emerged for dinner. But when Josef's wife, Frida, declared that the king's murderer must be hunted and killed, Anna swore she heard her sister gasp in fear.

"Elsa, what's wro—"

Elsa stood and swiftly left the room, hugging her arms to her chest.

"Good Lord, what's with her?" Frida's expression darkened. "By her response, you would almost think she was afraid—as if she were responsible for the king's—"

"Elsa isn't a witch," said Anna through clenched teeth.

"A weak heart, then? Certainly not an ideal trait for royalty."

"She isn't weak, either," said Anna. "She's just hurting."

Elsa didn't attend the funeral.

All attempts to get her to emerge were met with silence and an unopened door. Silence, as though the king's death meant nothing to her. An unopened door, as though the grief of her loved ones was unimportant. The queen wept and pleaded with her, but to no avail.

It made Anna angry for a while. But then, two days after the funeral, she happened to be walking through the hall, and passed Elsa's room. The door was still shut and locked, but Anna heard something. Doing her best to be quiet, she walked to the door and leaned her ear against it.

Elsa was sobbing. She drew frequent, shaky breaths, as though she were trying and failing to put an end to it.

Anna's anger vanished. Her sister must feel so lonely. Though she was certain Elsa did not want anyone to hear her crying, Anna knocked on the door anyway. "Elsa?"

Elsa immediately went silent.

Anna sighed and stepped away from the door. She had expected as much. It was always like this.

She didn't know why she clung to the hope that it would change one day.

She knew perfectly well it was that of a fool's.

* * *

It took days of pleading from her mother, but Elsa finally emerged for Josef's coronation. She was as distant with Anna as she had always been, but at least she was there.

She did not speak one word to Josef or Frida after they had been crowned king and queen. At the customary ball that was held afterward, she stood in a far corner of the room, gloved hands firmly clasped, and watched the crowd.

That was her specialty—watching people and determining things about them.

That Duke of Weselton, for example, was certainly a handful. Elsa had met him once when she was a little girl, before her parents had closed the gates. His arrogance had been obvious even then, but now she watched him filch pastries from peoples' plates when they were not looking. The refreshments table was a mere walk across the room, but she supposed he was too lazy for that. An arrogant sneak who took advantage of others' work. She would have to warn her brother.

The queen had not attended the ball, speaking of a terrible headache. Elsa regarded her as lucky.

But Anna was there, currently dancing with a grey-haired lord. They passed near Elsa at one point in the dance, and Elsa caught bits of polite conversation. Anna gave her sister a tentative smile as they passed, and Elsa waved.

Elsa looked in the direction of the refreshments table, longing for a plateful of chocolate pastries, when she saw an elderly lady drop her plate of food. A young gentleman with dark hair—a foreign trait common in the Erunin, the kingdom Elsa's mother and Queen Frida were both from—bent to clean it up for her, and then offered her his own plate. Elsa smiled at the kind gesture.

An older gentleman noticed Elsa and asked her to dance. She declined.

His approaching her to ask seem to let others know of her presence, and she was forced to turn down several more offers, politely explaining to each of them that she did not dance, not with anyone, and not ever.

The young gentleman who had helped the old woman approached Elsa after all the others had left her. He held a glass of milk in one hand and a plate of small chocolate pastries in the other.

"You're not going to ask me to dance, are you?" Elsa asked him. "You must have seen my response to all the other—"

He shook his head before she could finish. "No. Actually, I thought you might like some company."

Elsa shook her head. "I'm perfectly fine with watching the party."

"Are you?"

She was caught off-guard by this. "What do you mean?"

"I ... er, well, you see, I noticed you earlier in the evening, and a few more times throughout. You seem sad. And I know your father has just died, but it isn't that. There's something else ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't ..." He held out the glass and the plate of pastries. "I brought these over for you. I noticed you've been staring at the chocolate desserts when you are not busy scanning the crowd."

Elsa couldn't help but smile. "Oh, thank you!" She reached for the plate. "I'm famished!" She bit into a pastry, savoring the rich flavor.

The gentleman stood patiently, still holding the glass of milk.

Elsa looked down at the floor. "Oh, it's hardly proper, but would you mind if I sat?" She didn't want to make him stand there holding the glass for her.

"It's your home kingdom, not mine," he said good-naturedly. So Elsa sat, legs curled to one side as though she were on a picnic, and rested the plate of pastries in her lap.

He sat next to her, carefully handing her the glass so the milk would not spill. "I'm afraid it's not very cold—"

"Oh, that's all right," said Elsa. His easygoing nature made her feel relaxed by extent, and she allowed herself to remove her left glove before she took the glass from him. Very briefly, she allowed herself to use her power and cool the milk, and then set it on the floor beside her while she put the glove back on.

The gentleman looked puzzled as Elsa sipped the milk, now ice-cold, but said nothing. Bless him.

"I believe you know who I am," said Elsa. "But I don't think I know—"

"—who I am?" he finished with a smile. Elsa nodded, and the gentleman said, "Prince Erland of Elrunin."

Elsa nearly choked. "_Crown _Prince Erland? Frida's younger brother?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. Impossible at times, isn't she?"

"Very." Elsa bit into another pastry.

"Your Highness," said Erland.

"You may call me Elsa."

"Elsa, then. I don't mean to pry, but ... the gloves. Why do you wear them constantly?"

Elsa felt her stomach curl in anxiety, but did her best to maintain a calm appearance. "How do you know I wear them constantly?"

"The milk. You took one off to take the glass from me, and then you set the glass down and immediately put the glove back on. You seemed anxious, like your life depended on it."

_It very well might_, Elsa thought, remembering Frida's words. _"The king's murderer must be hunted down and killed. Witchcraft of any sort cannot be condoned ..."_

"I have a condition," Elsa said cautiously. "And I have to wear the gloves because of it. It's also the reason I don't dance. The gloves are a precaution, but they aren't a guarantee of protection for anyone. What I have, it's ... it's catching, you see." She was saying too much, but she couldn't stop herself. While the years of secrecy and loneliness had made her anxious, they had also made her desperate for an understanding friend. True, she hardly knew Erland, but he seemed genuine, and Elsa had confidence in her ability to judge a person's character...

"I see," said Erland. His tone was not mocking or disbelieving; it was casual, as though Elsa had just told him her favorite color or the time of day.

"Will you be going home as soon as the ball is over, or are you staying here awhile?" Elsa asked.

"Staying here, for a little while at least. My sister might be the queen now, but I'm not sure she'll do best job of assuring the people of Arendelle that Elrunin wants only peace with them. My mother was going to send an ambassador, but he was old and rather stuffy, and I decided to come in his stead. I've heard stories about the beauty of Arendelle, and I wanted to see it for myself."

"What do you think?" Elsa started on the last pastry.

"It's beautiful. Even nicer than everyone's described." He nodded to Elsa's plate. "And I've never tasted such good pastries."

To her own surprise, Elsa laughed. It seemed years since she'd last done so.

And then she realized it was.

* * *

Erland stayed. Elsa kept laughing. Her mother and sister smiled to see her happy, and Frida looked on in scorn.

Autumn came to an end, and soon the ground was covered in snow. Elsa was glad for it. She felt most relaxed in winter, when she could let loose a bit of her power without being noticed.

She and Erland sat at a windowseat one morning, looking out at the snow. Elsa talked of her childhood, of fond memories of skating in with Anna, building snowmen with her and their parents ...

Tears pricked at her eyes as she thought of her father securing the carrot nose on a snowman. Erland saw and handed her his own handkerchief, and she dabbed her eyes with it.

"We should build one," Erland said. "In his memory."

Elsa looked up at him and nearly laughed despite her tears. "What?"

"It's one of your fondest memories of him, isn't it?"

Elsa nodded.

"Well, then why not do it? Anna could help. And your mother."

"You're ridiculous," said Elsa fondly.

Half an hour later, Elsa, Anna, their mother, and Erland gathered in the courtyard to build a snowman. Anna laughed when Elsa removed her gloves to touch the freshly-fallen snow, and their mother looked at Elsa in amazement. Elsa gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. To Erland, who looked puzzled, she said, "I've been told the cold helps it."

"Helps what?" Anna asked, a slight frown on her face as she looked at her sister.

"Your sister's hand condition," said Erland. "Didn't you know?"

"Oh, yes," said Anna, although it was clear she had no idea what he meant. "Right."

They named the snowman Agdar in the king's honor. Elsa, Anna, and their mother all held back tears.

Anna, who had brought a carrot from the kitchens, put it into place as her father always had. "I miss you, Papa," she whispered.

It was their mother who threw the first snowball.

It was a loosely-packed one, hitting Anna's shoulder with a _poof_. Anna threw one back at her immediately, and then Elsa and Erland were in on it too, throwing snowballs at each other and at the other two. Elsa cheated a few times when none of them were looking; using her powers to conjure snowballs immediately rather than having to pack them together with her hands. Anna told her, "If this princess thing doesn't work out, you'd have a chance at professional snowball-making." She threw one at Elsa, who dodged it with ease.

"Anna, you know perfectly well there's no such job," she said, tossing one at Anna and grinning when it hit her left shoulder.

Afterward, the four of them sat together on one of the stone benches, admiring the snowman they had built. Elsa put her gloves on once again, slightly panicked because she realized she had held one of Erland's hands without them. He was gloved, of course, not having ice powers that made him a friend to the cold. But what good would that do against Elsa?

_Keep it together_, she told herself. _You still have to be careful._

But she said nothing aloud. She didn't want to spoil things for the others.

"I wish it could be like this all the time," said Anna as they all returned inside for the noon meal.

_So do I_, thought Elsa. She clasped her hands tightly together. _But it can't_.

Winter was a wonderful mask, but unfortunately, it did not last forever.

* * *

**- I'm worried Elsa is slightly OOC. -cringes- I hope it isn't terrible.  
- According to DisneyWiki, the king's name is ****Agðar** (translating to Agdar) and the queen is **Iðunn** (Idun/Idunn.) So, I'll be using these names for them.  
- This chapter was, for the most part, good fun. The calm before the storm, I guess. Trouble will definitely start in the next one.

**Thoughts? Do let me know in a review.  
**


	3. One Wrong Move

**Annnd here we go. It starts off sweetly, but as I promised, the trouble starts in this chapter.  
**

* * *

_~ "Make one wrong move,  
and everyone will know." ~_

"This winter is the fiercest I have seen in all my life," said Elsa's mother. The royal family, along with Erland, had been eating their evening meal in uncomfortable silence. Elsa and Erland had made the mistake of entering the room laughing together, and the look Frida had given them was full of such scorn that Elsa had had the urge to jump behind Erland and hide. She had even felt ice threatening to emerge. The gloves would not let it pass, however, and only a very thin sheet of it had managed to form along her left palm. Thankfully, it had melted when she clenched her fist, although the glove took several minutes to dry and return to its normal color.

Frida had been glaring at her all throughout the meal. Even now, as she answered Elsa's mother, her glare did not leave Elsa. "I do wonder how the people of Arendelle have managed to survive for so long. I find this weather unbearable."

"You'll become accustomed to the cold. It certainly did not take me long." Her gaze flicked toward Elsa for a fraction of a second.

"Well, Mistress Idunn, I do hope I will be able to say the same about myself in the near future. And I hope that this winter will not last as long as some of Arendelle's previous ones have been known to." Frida bit into a roll.

"It'd be nice if it lasted all year," said Anna, her tone polite but bordering on defiant. Elsa gave her a warning kick to the leg, but she ignored it. "We like your brother too much to want him to have to leave."

Elsa put her napkin to her lips and whispered so that only her sister could hear, "Anna, enough."

Anna had the sense to listen to her sister, and took a sip from her water goblet.

"I'm flattered, Your Highness," said Erland smoothly, giving Anna a nod. He stole a glance at Elsa.

Elsa took a sip from her own water goblet and hoped she wasn't blushing.

* * *

"It really is beautiful." Erland gestured to icicles formed on the branch of a tree. "Winter, I mean."

He and Elsa sat in the courtyard, on the stone table instead of on one of the benches, which were buried. The snow was deeper than ever, but the sun peeked out from between the clouds today, and Erland had wanted to make the most of it.

"You _really _think so?" Elsa hadn't intended to say it. It just slipped out.

He looked at her, puzzled. "Why wouldn't I?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, for one thing, it's ... It _is _very cold." Why couldn't she think of something more creative? Erland had donned a thick fur cloak before they had come outside, but Elsa had merely put on her boots and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Honestly, what _had _she been thinking?

She felt ice threatening once more; the gloves were barely holding it back.

"Well, yes, I suppose it is. But it's a small price to pay for days like this." He scooped a handful of snow from the ground and studied it. "Is all your snow like this?"

Elsa relaxed slightly. "Like what?"

"I can see every individual snowflake. At home, when we get snow, it's nothing but soggy mush. This snow ... It looks like jewels. It's beautiful. An art, almost."

Elsa swallowed and felt her heart pounding. She had been so happy for the past few weeks, and had finally expressed it last night by influencing the snow brought by the blizzard; enlarging the snowflakes amongst other things. She hadn't thought anyone would notice.

A small lump of snow formed in each of her palms, stretching her gloves out just slightly. Foolishly, she gasped, and Erland looked before Elsa could hide her hands. He frowned in concern. "Elsa, what ...?"

She stood and turned away. "Nothing. It's nothing. I swear—"

He stood too. "Elsa, let me see your hands."

"Erland, please. I don't want—" Tears began to form in her eyes, and she couldn't finish her sentence.

"You don't want what?" His voice was gentle.

"I don't want you to hate me."

She'd barely even whispered it, but he heard. "Elsa, why would I hate you?"

It was a mad impulse, but Elsa acted on it. She tore off her left glove as if it burned, and shook the snow into her palm. "Because of this."

"I don't understand."

She took a deep breath and said the next words in a rushed whisper, "I made this. The snow I am holding. I am responsible for my father's death. But I did not intend for it to happen, I swear! His horse threw him. I removed a glove and tried to conjure up a pile of snow to save him. It took two tries. The second burst of magic was successful and created the soft pile beneath him, but the first ... Oh, the first, it was terrible. I struck his heart. I was emotional and not thinking clearly, and I struck his heart." The tears that had been welling up in her eyes at last spilled down her cheeks. "Stupid, stupid, _stupid_. If I'd just been calm and thinking clearly, I'd have saved him. But I let the fear and other stupid emotions get the better of me, and I ... I ..."

Words failed her, and she began to sob at the memory. The sky darkened immediately with her sadness, and a light snow began to fall. Erland looked at the weeping Elsa and then up at the clouded sky and falling snow, and she could tell he had figured out their connection to her feelings.

She expected him to rush back inside and straight to his sister. But he didn't. He put a hand on Elsa's shoulder and spoke to her gently. Her mind didn't register the exact words he was saying; only that they were kind and reassuring. The thought that someone not related to her by blood could know of her powers and not think her a monster overwhelmed her.

She stopped weeping eventually, but was unable to stop the snow from falling. That was all right. People would suspect something if it stopped abruptly and the clouds vanished. She handed control of it over to nature.

Erland helped her to the table to sit once again, and helped her put her glove back on while her eyes were still blurred with tears.

"Are you going to tell Frida?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "Not now, and not ever. Not if my life depended on it."

"Anna, then?"

He frowned. "I thought she would have known already."

Elsa took a deep breath. "She did, years ago. When we were little. But I tried to save her life at one point, and accidentally struck her in the head. She was ice cold and not moving. We all rode out to visit the trolls—my mother has a cousin who lives in a village near them, and he'd written to her about them before. Said they had magic that could cure just about any sickness... Anyway, we took Anna to them. The oldest one was able to remove the ice from her head. I remember the exact words he said. 'I recommend we remove all magic, even_ memories _of magic.' It was supposed to help her, in the long run. And because of that, we never told her." She was able to look him in the eyes again. "Are you going to try to make me tell her?"

"I think it would be wise for you to tell her, but I'm not going to _make _you do anything. They are your powers. You decide whom to reveal them to."

"Do you think they make me a monster?" It was a horrible question, but she had to ask it.

"No," he answered. Then he blushed slightly. "I think they're beautiful."

* * *

No one knew what Elsa and Erland had discussed in the courtyard that day, but a change occurred in Elsa afterward.

She still wore her gloves and heavy gowns, and kept her hair up in a bun. She smiled at everyone, not just at Erland. Her gait was freer; she allowed herself to walk as a normal young woman rather than the grand, perfect princess she had always striven to be. Perfection, for some reason, did not matter to her as much now as it once had.

_I have a friend. A real friend who cares and thinks my power is beautiful._

Erland kept her calm. She still wore her gloves around him, but more often than not, they caused her hands to be constantly overwarm and were useful for little else. The ice rarely threatened to emerge when she was with him, even if she was experiencing a very strong emotion. And if it did threaten, it was very brief.

She wasn't sure what it all meant. But she was so very glad to have found a friend she could be around without (for the most part, anyway) fear.

She still couldn't bring herself to tell Anna about the ice magic. How would her beloved little sister react to the knowledge that she'd been deceived for most of her life?

Part of her whispered that Anna would be happy to no longer be shut out. But fear held Elsa back.

She did talk to her, though. Not all the time, like when they were little. But on one afternoon as they lounged in Elsa's room while a blizzard raged outside the palace, it was enough to make Anna remark, "What's gotten into you, Elsa? And I don't mean that to complain. This is good. Us talking together, I mean. I've missed talking to you." She sat in the chair by Elsa's fireplace, which was lit for once, and sipped hot chocolate.

Elsa, lying across her bed and reading a book while listening to Anna talk, said, "I've missed talking to you, too."

Anna smiled. "I'm glad Erland came."

Elsa closed her book and sat up, feeling an amused smile spread across her face. "Erland's a good friend, but what does he have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. But the change started after he came. He makes you happy, and that's doing wonderful things for you."

Elsa was silent, having a fair guess as to where this was going.

Anna said, "You like him, don't you?"

"I'm fairly sure being able to use the word 'friend' to describe someone means you like being around them," Elsa said dryly.

"Oh, you _know_ what I mean." Anna grinned mischievously. "When's the wedding? Oh, and why did you have to go and pick a _crown_ prince, of all the men you could have chosen from? He'll have to inherit the throne in his kingdom, and you'll have to go with him and be so far from home."

"Elrunin isn't _that _far away. They share a border with us, a hundred miles or so from Valley of the Living Rock—the place where the trolls are supposed to live." Elsa swallowed. "And anyway, I do like Erland and I would trust him with anything, but I haven't ... _picked _anyone. And I don't plan on ever doing so."

Anna made a face. "Oh, don't talk like that. I can't stand it. You'll find someone eventually. And honestly, I'm placing my bets on Erland."

"Princesses do not place bets, Anna," Elsa said evenly.

"You know, I always have these odd dreams where I'm being kissed by a troll. My life is in danger, or something, and they heal me with their magic."

Elsa blinked at the sudden shift in topic. "What?"

Anna laughed. "Sorry. You mentioned trolls living in Live Rock Valley—"

"Valley of the Living Rock."

"Yes, that. And I and I just thought ... I don't know. I thought you might laugh. But you didn't, obviously, so this is slightly awkward for me."

Someone knocked on the door before Elsa could reply.

"Come in," she and Anna said together.

Their mother entered the room. "I came to tell you myself before news spread and everyone started shouting."

"Tell us what?" Anna cocked her head inquisitively, looking very much like a little girl.

"Frida is expecting a child."

Elsa collapsed back onto her pillows. "What?!"

"Yes. After ten years of no luck producing an heir for Josef, she's finally going to." The queen looked very disappointed.

Anna voiced everyone's thoughts for them. "It will be spoiled rotten if it's a boy, and ignored for most of its life if it's a girl. Frida is so demanding and mean, and while Josef isn't, he's so easily talked into things. He'd jump off the balcony if she told him to."

"Thank you for that assessment," said Elsa, sitting up. She looked at her mother. "How did you react when they told you?"

Idunn smiled, as if she were remembering something very amusing. "I think they expected me to jump up and down—oh joy, I'm going to be a grandmother!—but all I was capable of saying was, 'Oh.' And then I had to force myself to add, 'Congratulations.' They stood there and stared at me as if I were mental."

Elsa laughed. "Has Erland heard?"

"I don't think so. He's been in the library all day, and you know how Frida hates the library."

Anna pinched her nose, and in her best imitation of Frida, said, "It smells of old wood and dust, the first of which I find quite nice, but the latter of which I absolutely cannot abide."

They all laughed after this.

Then Idunn turned to Elsa and said, "I also thought you should know before they announced it—there's going to be a ball at the end of this week to celebrate. Only the Arendelle nobles will be coming, since they are used to travelling the snow, while those from many other kingdoms are not. But it will be a ball all the same."

"Another ball?" Elsa and Anna said together; Elsa's tone one of anxiety, Anna's one of excitement.

Idunn gave a gentle smile to her eldest daughter. "You'll be fine, Elsa."

* * *

And Elsa _was_ fine, for most of the ball. She danced with Erland, much to the amazement of Anna and Idunn. Elsa, dancing? Was it really so? Of course, she wasn't dancing all the time. She and Erland sat out their fair share of dances, talking and laughing together as always. But Elsa could feel Frida's scornful glare on them the whole time, and could not help but feel uneasy despite the cheery music and Erland's calming presence.

While Edward forced himself to make polite conversation with a baron, Elsa stopped at the refreshments table to get herself a bit of punch. Frida came straight to her.

"My young brother is certainly charming, is he not?"

This couldn't be good. Elsa did her best to remain calm, and avoided answering the question directly. "He has become a very good friend to me." She took a sip of punch.

"Surely you are aware he is enamored with you."

Elsa coughed and nearly choked. "What—"

"Yes, that is right. You are the girl who keeps secrets and refused to talk to her sister for thirteen years, and he absolutely adores you."

"I don't keep secrets." A lie, a filthy, horrible lie Elsa should never have spoken. But Frida was making her anxious, and it had slipped out as a matter of self-defense.

"Oh, really? Then tell me, why do you always wear those gloves?"

Elsa set her glass of punch down on the table and hugged her arms to her chest. "Why do you want to know?"

"You said you do not keep secrets. If that is really the case, you will tell me."

Elsa took a deep breath. "I have ... I have a skin condition, and it ... is contagious. That is why I wear the gloves, and why I don't dance."

"Oh, do you not?" Frida hissed. "If you do not dance, then who is the girl with the white-blonde hair whom I have been seeing dance with my brother all night?"

"I ... The gloves are just a precaution. They can't truly guarantee the anyone's safety if I touch them. There's always the possibility ... Er, that is, the condition could spread anyway. But your brother ... he said he didn't mind—"

"Didn't mind being poisoned by you?" Frida laughed, but it was not in good humor. "Take off the gloves. I want to see this condition for myself."

Elsa felt herself trembling. "But, Frida—"

"_Your Majesty_."

"Right, yes, Your Majesty, I—"

"It was not a request, Elsa; it was an order."

"_Please_—"

"Now."

Elsa lifted her shaking left hand and removed the glove from it, revealing a dainty white hand in no worse condition than the rest of her skin.

"You are a liar, Elsa."

Frida's glare was so full of hate that Elsa took a step back. And without realizing it, she touched the table with her ungloved hand.

Ice crept up along the tablecloth and spread over the food. Frida shrieked, and the dancing ceased immediately. Every single person in the room looked at Elsa, whose eyes filled with tears.

Frida pointed an accusing finger at her. "_You_," she said vehemently. "_Ice-witch_."

Idunn rushed to step between her daughter and Frida. "Your Majesty, I can explain for her. On her behalf, I can—"

Without a word, Frida slapped Idunn across the face. Cold anger built up in Elsa, and without hardly thinking about it, she sent a flurry of snow straight toward Frida.

Frida managed to dodge it, and screamed. "You! Ice-witch, you _murdered _your own father."

Anna cried out, "Elsa!"

Elsa dashed away from the table and hoped to escape, but the guards were now blocking the door that led outside.

So she did the next-best thing she could think of. She turned and ran further in to the palace. There were many exits, of course, and she knew where to find secret ones. But the guards surely did as well, and would be waiting for her.

She turned several corners to lose the guards' trail, and then headed up to the second floor. She didn't dare go to her own room; instead ran to her mother's. She removed one of her hairpins in order to pick the lock, and quietly shut the door behind her once she was inside, locking it once more. She highly doubted they would look for her in here, and stood still for a moment to catch her breath. Then felt her heart begin to pound even harder than it had been. She'd heard a sound coming from the hall.

Footsteps.

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**Nearly four hundred visits, and only five reviews? ****-chews nails nervously-** Is there something terrible that I've somehow managed to overlook?  
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	4. Leaving a Life Behind

**Thank you to those who've reviewed and favorited and followed. You're the best.**

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_~ Can't hold it back anymore. . . .  
Turn away and slam the door. ~_

Unable to think of a better alternative, Elsa dove under the bed. Her heart pounded, but she had the sense to make sure the blankets would keep her concealed from anyone who walked in.

She strained to hear more than footsteps, and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Gerda's voice saying, "Make way! Mistress Idunn is unwell." Then came Anna's voice, not speaking any words, but making worried sounds.

Elsa's breath caught when she heard Erland say, "Is this her room?"

"Yes." Kai's voice. "Gerda, do you have the key?"

The lock on the door clicked in answer. Elsa held her breath in case any of the guards decided to follow them into the room.

She heard one approach. "I should search the room first—"

Idunn spoke, sounding weak. "There's no need. I know my daughter ... perfectly well, and this ... is the last place she would hide."

"But, Mistress—"

"You heard what she said," Gerda snapped. "Can't you see she's unwell? She needs to rest, and you searching the room would not help her do that."

Elsa heard her close the door and lock it.

Footsteps approached the bed, and Elsa heard the sound of someone being placed on it.

"Rest, Mistress Idunn," said Erland.

Elsa swallowed. Why did her mother need to rest? She already knew of Elsa's powers... Had the outburst made her faint?

But then, somewhat to Elsa's relief, Idunn said, "Elsa, I know you're in here. This is the last place people would expect you to hide, and you know that. Which is why you chose it."

Feeling foolish, Elsa crawled out from under the bed; from the side opposite the door so she wouldn't bump into anyone's legs and embarrass herself further. She stood, brushed herself off, and looked at her mother. "Are you all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine," said Idunn, sitting up properly. "I had to create an excuse to get up here, where I knew you would be. But, with Frida declaring what she declared, I barely had to pretend."

"What did she say?"

Anna stepped forward, looking angry for what was probably the first time Elsa had ever seen. "She said that you were a cruel ice-witched, that you murdered Papa, and that the person who finds you and brings you back, dead or alive, will be rewarded." Tears filled her eyes. "You didn't kill him, did you?" She said this so softly, it was almost a whisper.

"I ... I ..." Elsa stammered. Her hands shook. Snowflakes emerged and floated down onto the rug.

Erland saw the snow and crossed over to Elsa, taking one of her hands in his own.

She gasped. "No, Erland, don't—"

"Elsa," he said, voice mild as always, "the snow is gentle. It isn't harming me." While she reeled in shock at this, he looked over at Anna. "Elsa was trying to save your father's life when it happened. An accident. He was thrown off his horse, and Elsa—"

"I tried to save him," Elsa cut in, voice trembling. She clutched Erland's hand tighter, but did not release more snow. "But the first attempt went wrong. I'd meant to create a pile of snow for him to land on, which I managed at the second attempt, but the first ..." She held back tears. "I struck his heart. It worked from the inside out, slowly rendering him colder and colder, and then turning his skin to ice."

Anna swallowed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You knew years ago," said Idunn. "You and Josef both. Until Elsa struck your head. The trolls were able to remove the magic, but in order to ensure a full recovery, they had to remove your memories of magic as well. Josef called Elsa a monster after she struck you, and refused to go anywhere near her, and we knew that if he was going to be king one day, he couldn't know either. Not if we wanted Elsa to remain safe. He couldn't do anything while we were in power, but we knew that one day ... Well, it was better for everyone if he didn't remember." She nodded to Kai and Gerda. "Besides your father and me, they were the only ones who kept their memories. And that was only in case anything happened to us."

Elsa nodded. "I was so scared. I shut myself away to protect everyone. All I knew was fear, and that made it worse, just as the troll said it would."

Anna remained silent.

Elsa continued. "I ... I can't stay here. If I've been sentenced to death, I need to get away and hide."

"I know where we can go," said Idunn. "My cousin, the one who lives in the village near Valley of the Living Rock. He is the reason we knew to go to the trolls when Anna was struck. He's always told me, 'If you are ever in need—though, being queen now, I can't see why you ever would be—my doors are always open.' We can go to him. He is a merchant, and has become very wealthy. The trolls have taken a liking to him and give him many of their magical trinkets to take across the border to Elrunin and sell there, where the people are less ... superstitious about magic and the like."

"Perfect," said Elsa. "I'll go to him. He—"

"I'm coming with you," said Anna. "If you're leaving and escaping Frida, I'm going with you. You're not leaving me alone with her."

"But you won't be alone," Elsa protested. "You'll have Mother and—"

"No. I've lived without you for thirteen years. And now that I know the truth, it doesn't seem fair to—"

"Anna, please—"

"Girls," said Idunn. "You're both going, and so am I."

Neither of the princesses argued. Their mother's demands were few and far between, so the girls never protested on the rare occasions when she did make them.

"I would like to go as well," said Kai. "You'll need someone who'll watch out for you, and being that I've known all of you for so many years, it's only right that I do so."

"And me," said Gerda. That was all. She was never one to mince words.

Idunn opened her mouth to protest, but Elsa spoke first. "Let them come along. Kai's right. We will need people to watch out for us, and to vouch for our innocence if the need arises."

"There's just one problem," said Erland. "You'll be recognized."

"Not if we're careful," said Elsa. She let go of Erland's hand and walked to her mother's wardrobe.

Much to Elsa's relief, Idunn still had one commoner's dress from her days in Elrunin—the dress she had worn to the marketplace the day she met the girls' father. Anna changed into this dress; her ballgown being impractical for trudging through the snow. She also borrowed a pair of her mother's winter boots, and a dark cloak.

Not having the option of also changing into a common outfit, Idunn merely changed into one of the gowns she wore every day in the palace, pulling an especially heavy, hooded cloak over it to hide her face and the pattern embroidered on the gown.

Seeing how Idunn's remaining gowns were just a bit too large for Elsa, she came up with her own plan. While Anna and her mother pulled the curtains around the four-poster bed shut so that Erland and Kai would not be able to see them change, Elsa used her ice magic. She transformed her heavy ballgown into a light, ice-blue everyday dress, soft as fabric but cold to the touch. She also let her hair out of its neat bun and instead wore it in a loose braid, freezing her bangs back out of her face so they would not hang in front of her eyes. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror afterward, and stared. She hardly recognized herself.

She turned to Erland, who blinked several times at the transformation, but then said, "You look very fine."

Anna, too, blinked in amazement once she and Idunn had finished changing and pulled the bed's curtains open. "Whoa, Elsa, you look ... different. But it's a good different!" She touched the fabric of Elsa's sleeve. "It feels so real. Just a bit cold."

Idunn only smiled. Her eldest daughter was certainly full of surprises.

Anna let her own hair out of its bun and began to fashion it into two braids. "Once we're ready ... what do we do?" she asked her mother. "We can't just walk out into the hall. People will see us, and Elsa, and it ... It just won't be good."

"The balcony," said Elsa. "I can create a staircase for us all to walk down. Gerda, take a cloak from Mother's wardrobe; you'll need it, and Kai, take one from..." Her voice faltered a bit. "Take one from Father's old wardrobe."

"But what if there are guards waiting for us once we are down?" asked Gerda, opening Idunn's wardrobe and selecting a large brown cloak.

Elsa frowned and bit her lip. "Right. I hadn't thought—" She had a sudden idea and did not finish her sentence. Waving her hand in a circle, she conjured snow and wind to form a small snowman.

The wind brought two buttons off one of King Agdar's old coats as Kai stood with the wardrobe open. Two knitting needles came from one of Gerda's pockets. Everyone watched in amazement as the buttons became pupils, the knitting needles became arms, and the snowman blinked up at them all.

"Hello, everyone," he said. "I'm Olaf. And I like warm hugs."

Idunn, Erland, and the two servants laughed, but Anna looked thoughtful.

"Olaf?"

"Uh-huh," said the snowman.

Anna looked up at her sister. "He's just like the one we built when we were little. But without the nose."

"Oh, I've always wanted a nose!" said Olaf the snowman, despite the fact that he had been alive for only a few moments. "Do you have one for me?"

"I don't, unfortunately," said Anna. "All the carrots are down in the kitchen, and we can't go down there right now."

"Oh," said the snowman, sounding a bit disappointed. But he brightened immediately afterward. "That's all right!"

"I'll have bring you a nose sometime," said Erland. "Once all of you are settled in your new home. I'll visit and bring carrots for you to choose from."

Olaf looked over at him. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Oh, good!" said the snowman. "I like you. What's your name?"

"That's my friend Erland," said Elsa. "I am Elsa. My sister here is Anna, and these people"—she gestured to Idunn, and then to Kai and Gerda—"are our mother, Idunn, and our two good friends Kai and Gerda."

"Hello!" said Olaf, waving one of his knitting-needle arms in a friendly way.

"We'll have to get you some better arms, too, once we're out of here. Now ..." Elsa bent down to look the snowman in the eyes. "Olaf, there is a very mean woman who does not like my powers, and she wants to kill me because she thinks they are bad. We need to sneak out of the palace without getting caught. I have a plan, but I need your help. Do you see that balcony outside?" Elsa pointed toward the double glass doors, and the snowman nodded. "I'm going to create a staircase to help us get down. But we need you to check and see if there are any guards waiting for us down there. You'll have to be very quiet. Can you do that?"

The snowman bounced up and down, nodding. "Anything for you. You built me, after all."

"Good," said Elsa. She walked to the balcony doors. "Brace yourselves," she said to everyone else, and pulled the doors open.

Wind howled, and snow drifted into the room. Elsa used her magic to direct it away once she realized what was happening, and beckoned for Olaf to accompany her outside. When he was out, Elsa shut the doors behind her.

The wind howled and snow swirled up all around. Elsa could barely see two feet in front of her. But she made her way to the balcony railing and rested her hands on it, closing her eyes and doing her best to concentrate.

She heard the familiar sound of ice being formed, and opened her eyes to see a beautiful staircase forming its way down to the ground. When it had completed, Elsa used wind to lift Olaf the snowman over the railing and onto the first step of the staircase.

"Ready?" she asked him.

He nodded and rushed down the staircase. Elsa held her breath and waited.

"All clear," Olaf called after a few moments, and she somehow heard him over the noise of the wind.

"All right. Wait for us," she called back. She turned and pushed the doors to her mother's room open. "It's all clear," she told everyone.

Kai and Gerda rushed out first. Elsa instructed them to swing their legs over the balcony railing and onto the first step of the ice staircase. "It'll be easy after that," she said.

Anna and Idunn came next, and then even Erland, though he did not have a cloak like the rest of them.

Elsa tried not to focus on the sadness of saying goodbye. "You'll freeze to death."

"I'm not worried. My best friend is the kingdom's dreaded ice-witch. And anyway, I'll only be out here for a few moments."

Elsa swallowed, tears pricking at her eyes once again. "I'll miss you."

"I will miss you too." He tried to smile. "I'll write to you. Under a village name, of course, and then under my own once I've returned home in the spring. And I ... I'll try to keep my sister unaware of your leaving for as long as I can."

"Thank you," said Elsa. She sniffed, and blinked back tears. Without a word, Erland reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which he handed to her.

"Keep it," he said.

"Thank you," Elsa said again, as she dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief.

"Elsa," said Erland. "There's something—"

"Elsa, are you coming? We need to hurry!" That was Anna's voice, calling from the bottom of the staircase.

"I need to go," said Elsa. "And you need to get back inside. Your lips are turning blue already."

Erland nodded. Though he did not finish his sentence, he took Elsa's hand and led her to the balcony railing, gently lifting her over it and onto the staircase, despite her initial protests that she could do it herself.

"Goodbye," Erland said.

"Goodbye," Elsa replied, and rushed down to join her family, her servants, and her talking snowman.

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**Poor Elsa and Erland.  
Any thoughts? Please let me know in a review! They really do make my day.**


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